The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Illegal

  • Two admit illegal arms importation, bribery

    Two admit illegal arms importation, bribery

    •Defendants to plead guilty

    TWO men, who were arraigned by the Federal Government for importing arms and ammunition without authorisation, yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that they committed the offence.

    Oscar Okafor and Donatus Achinulo, who were among five persons arraigned on June 14, told the court that they would change their plea from not guilty to guilty.

    The others are Mahmud Hassan, Mathew Okoye (at large) and Salihu Danjuma.

    They were accused of illegally importing double barrel short guns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms).

    They were arraigned on nine counts of conspiracy to illegally import prohibited firearms, “uttering” of forged documents, bribery and importation of prohibited goods.

    All the defendants pleaded not guilty at their arraignment.

    Justice Ayokunle Faji refused to grant them bail applications due to the gravity of the charges.

    Yesterday, Okafor and Achinulo (second and third defendants), who were represented by new counsel Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and Mr. Paul Ananaba (SAN), said they would enter a guilty plea.

    Justice Faji directed them to notify the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) of their intention.

    Count one of the charge said the defendants “on or about January 21, 2017, at Apapa, Lagos conspired together to illegally import into Nigeria 661 pump actions rifles”.

    The prosecution said they brought the arms from Turkey through the Apapa Port in Lagos, using a 40-feet container, which they falsely claimed contained steel doors.

    The Federal Government said the defendants violated Section 98A (1) (b) of the Criminal Code Act by corruptly offering bribe to public officials on two occasions.

    It said Hassan offered N400,000 to Federal Operative Unit’s Examination Officers on January 21 at Apapa to prevent “100 per cent search” of the 40 feet container numbered PONU 825914/3, which they knew contained prohibited goods.

    The prosecution said Hassan on the same day, “corruptly gave the sum of N1million to government officials at the Apapa Port through one Danjuma Abdullahi in order to prevent search of your container by Customs officials which you knew contained 661 illegally imported pump actions rifles.”

    The defendants allegedly forged documents, such as a bill of lading, a Form M and a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, in a bid to deceive the officials.

    According to the prosecution, in order to evade payment of Customs duty, the accused allegedly forged a bill of lading issued at Istanbul on January 9, 2017, claiming it was issued in Shanghai, China.

    The Federal Government also alleged that the defendants “illegally imported into Nigeria double barrel shotguns, pump action rifles and single barrel shotguns (firearms) between 2012 and 2016)”.

    Justice Faji adjourned until September 26.

  • Professor Johnbull exposes illegal means of travelling abroad

    Professor Johnbull exposes illegal means of travelling abroad

    Illegal migration will be focus of this week’s episode of the TV drama series, Professor Johnbull, which is will be aired tomorrow  at 8.30.p.m. on the network service of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), NTA International on DSTV Channel 251 and NTA on StarTimes.

    The repeat broadcast comes up on Friday on the same stations at the same time.

    The show is sponsored by telecoms firm Globacom, and features some of Nigeria’s best performers, including the doyen of Nollywood, Kanayo O. Kanayo, who plays the star role of Professor Johnbull.

    There are also Mercy Johnson-Okojie, who plays the role of the Professor’s maid, Caro; Funky Mallam who plays the role of Mai Doya, the yam seller; Bidemi Kosoko (Jumoke); Ime Bishop (Etuk)  and Yomi Fash-Lanso, who plays the role of Olaniyi the restaurateur.

    In this week’s episode, entitled: I Must Travel, the erudite Professor takes people who attempt to travel abroad by all means to the cleaners.

    The episode throws light on how people put their lives at  risks by going through desert and sea routes and unconventional vehicles in their bid to travel to America or Europe, where they believe that the grass is greener.

    In a preview of this week’s episode, Professor Johnbull is seen pontificating on the dangers of stowing away in the cargo sections or wheels of aircraft and decks of ships,  saying that such amounts to “signing an agreement with death”.

     

  • Refuse, illegal refining threaten transmission facility in Lagos

    Refuse, illegal refining threaten transmission facility in Lagos

    A transmission tower’s integrity in Lagos is being threatened as miscreants have turned its location to a dump site, illegal refining and burning of rubbish, it was learnt.

    The tower, located in Surulere area of Lagos, according to the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, is being threatened by the nefarious activities going on under it.

    Such activities, according to the TCN chief, compromise the integrity of towers, adding that the maintenance team of the company would not be able to access the facility for repairs in the event of a problem.

    “Should the tower also collapse as a result of the compromise, the entire Apapa and environs would be out of power supply,” he said.

    He continued:”Therefore, it is imperative I came to see things, discuss and collaborate with Lagos State Government to find a solution to the problem, and permanently stop the nefarious activities going on under the tower,” he added.

    Mohammed further said: “People dump and burn refuse and other materials under the tower and as you can see, there is oil bunkering and illegal refining here. These activities definitely will compromise the integrity of the tower. If the tower is comprised and it collapses, the entire Apapa and environs will be out of power supply.

    “This tower supports the capacity from Ajah through the 330kv circuit line to Alagbon. If it collapses, supply to these areas will be jeopardised. Also, if there is a problem with the tower, it will be difficult for the maintenance team to access it. It is a big problem for these areas.

    “I will discuss with the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources. We are working closely with the Lagos State Government. We will ask the Energy Commissioner to ensure that the Commissioner for Environment clear this place and ensure it is permanently maintained away from the miscreants and refuse dump.

    “The clearing will be immediately because we are collaborating with the Lagos State Government. Through this collaboration, we are working to put significant transmission capacity between Lagos and Ogun states and ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”

    The TCN chief also said the transmission arm of the power supply value chain is not the weakest link as some people make power consumers believe, adding that transmission capacity has been substantially increased and, the transmission arm is ahead of other arms of the supply chain. “We are increasing our capacity across the country because the government is supporting us

    “This government has been putting money into transmission since it came on board. Money that has been put by this government into transmission has never been put into transmission in the history of Nigeria.

    “We have also secured a lot of funding from multilateral donors, backed by the Ministries of Power, Works and Housing and Finance, and this is being channeled into transmission. To me, funding is not so much a big issue to transmission now because we have got the support of the government.

    “Whoever says TCN is the weakest link in the power supply value chain is ignorant of the sector. Transmission is not the weakest link in the chain. Our capacity currently is higher than all the other arms of the industry. We also have plans to expand the capacity of the transmission more than any other arm of the sector. So, we are always ahead of them and will continue to be ahead of them,”he said.

  • Ibeshe community laments ‘illegal’ demolition

    Ibeshe community laments ‘illegal’ demolition

    •Governor gave approval

    Residents of Opere Street in Lagoon View Estate, Ibeshe, Ikorodu have accused the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development of illegally demolishing their properties under the influence of a land grabber.

    They said they learnt that their homes were destroyed to make way for a five-star hotel on the waterfront area.

    16 houses and other structures in the Estate were pulled down on August 16, 2017 allegedly by 36 armed policemen and civilians led by Task Force officials from the ministry.

    Those affected told The Nation yesterday that the demolition was followed a petition claiming that the lands were not theirs.

    They said they were never informed by the ministry that someone was contesting the ownership of their lands.

    But in a swift response, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Abiola Anifowoshe, faulted the residents’ claim.

    He explained that they were warned before the demolition and that the exercise followed all legal processes.

    “The Ministry had the Governor’s approval to remove illegal structures at Ibeshe. All the necessary statutory notices had been served before the removal,” Anifowoshe told The Nation.

    But, Victor Armstrong, whose fence enclosing two plots of land was pulled down, said some of the policemen that partook in the demolition, confirmed the existence of a petition during their protest on August 28, 2017 at the Ministry’s head office in Alausa.

    “Our properties are not under any litigation whatsoever. Most of us have building approvals and those who don’t have yet, had already commenced the process for obtaining theirs. They had paid the required fees to the ministry before the demolition occurred.

    He added: “When they came, no one was allowed in or out of the street, they ordered everyone to pick whatever we could in 10 minutes and get out. We tried to start recording but they seized our phones and smashed it to pieces.

    “They asked us if we did not get any notice. They brought one out and showed us. They said they had ‘orders from the top’ to demolish our structures, because the area had been reserved for a five-star hotel.

    Solarin Segun, whose property was also demolished, said their lawyers had petitioned Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of .

    A mother of three, Mrs Abiodun, whose home was also pulled down begged the government to not allow her “suffer in vain.”

    She said: “Please help us, so we won’t suffer in vain. How will my children go back to school? I don’t have a dime in savings. We built this house with all we had. They didn’t allow me to celebrate Sallah in my house.

    “I was at home with my 15-day old baby when they arrived. I had just finished breastfeeding her and was trying to sleep when I saw about 10 policemen surround our house. They came with Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development vehicles. The policemen hit my front door and shouted that I should pack my things and leave. ‘What is happening?’ I asked. They said they were there to demolish my house. My husband had gone to work, so I went to my neighbour’s house opposite mine to find out what was going on.

    “They had collected people’s phones and broke them or threw them in the bush to prevent us from recording what was going on. They began demolishing our buildings and threatened to arrest us if we interfered. They destroyed many houses, many big houses. I was only able to bring out my baby and other baby things that I could hold with my other hand before they demolished my house. They destroyed every other thing in the house.

    “Some of them covered their faces, but I recognised one of them. I saw him hanging around our houses several times some weeks ago and challenged him. He said there was no problem, that he just came to check something. They gave us no notice that they were coming to demolish our homes.

    “Some time ago, an unsigned piece of paper was pasted on some buildings on our street, saying the houses didn’t have building approval. But when we took the document to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, we were told the notice didn’t come from them. The officials we met pointed out that apart from it not being signed, the document also didn’t have an address and stamp.”

  • Five guards arrested for ‘illegal’ possession of firearms

    The police in Lagos have arrested five security guards for alleged illegal possession of firearms.

    Ojo Ayodele, 50; Rasheed Adekunle, 61; Musibau Gbadamosi, 60; Ayomide Ibile, 32 and Kehinde Jimoh, 42, were arrested Wednesday morning at Egbeda by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad  (FSARS), Ikeja.

    But the suspects, who were paraded at the Police Officers’ Mess by the acting Commissioner Imohimi Edgal, denied being armed robbers.

    According to Edgal, their arrest was sequel to series of complaints from residents of the neighbourhood, saying they were being terrorised.

    Edgal said an automatic single barrel gun, four locally made double-barrel rifles, 22 live ammunition and two expended cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

    He said: “On September 6, based on information received on the criminal activities of the gang, detectives from FSARS led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) moved to Egbeda around 3am.

    “During the raid, five suspects were arrested. One automatic rifle, four locally made rifles, 22 live ammunition and two expended cartridges were recovered.”

    The suspects, who denied being criminals, said they were armed by the landlord association to protect residents from incessant robbery and cult attacks.

  • MDAs’ illegal recruitments

    •This violation calls for immediate investigation and prosecution of culprits

    A review carried out by the Federal Ministry of Finance has revealed that 183 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been involved in illegal recruitment of staff. The list includes even the Central Bankof Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and the Nigerian Prisons service, as well as some federal universities and hospitals.

    It is only two of the existing 185 MDAs: the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army that are not implicated in the illegal act. These two agencies, according to the report of a panel set up by the Ministry of Finance, sought permission from appropriate authorities before recruiting new staff.

    Of the 13,780 new recruits to the MDAs in the last two years, 6,117 persons were recruited without any approval. It is believed that such illegal recruitments took place despite the President’s executive order banning fresh recruitment without approval.

    Without doubt, the arbitrary use of power that drove illegal recruitment into public service in contravention of standing orders leaves much to be desired. It is more worrisome that such disobedience of standing orders is carried out under a government that came to power on the strength of its promise to stamp out impunity in public life.  Similar lack of respect by persons with any form of power for rules and regulations was the bane of governance in the last few decades. It is, therefore, sad that heads of MDAs would carry out such unwholesome acts under a government that has become synonymous with fight against all forms of corruption.

    Many of the MDAs involved in recruiting new staff without regard for rules have found solace in facile excuses like claims that no off-budget recruitments were made, arguing that those recruited were just replacements for staff that left. This shows an unacceptable narrow thinking on the part of senior civil servants expected  to protect integrity in public service. Replacing a retired officer on N300,000 monthly salary with six new recruits on N50,000 each does not make such recruitment an in-budget item, more so in a recession and at a time that the Federal Government even takes internal and external loans to shore up the budget.

    Further, bringing new people into public service in disregard of regulations is a fertile ground for growing the market of ghost workers. Employment of ghost workers derives from the type of impunity that drives arbitrary employment of workers to replace retired ones without authorisation. Apart from creating avoidable wage bills for a country in recession, unauthorised recruitment is also an excuse for circumventing the federal character provision of the constitution.

    Given the campaign commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption, MDAs need to be weaned off the culture of impunity. The Federal Government needs to be committed to enforcing whatever guidelines it sets for employment. In other climes, an executive order by the President would have been enough to discourage recruiters of new staff.

    We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to commence immediate investigation into arbitrary employment of staff in the last two years, with the intention to identify and punish those found culpable. This matter should not be handled in the same languid manner that several announcements of discovery of ghost workers had been done: identifying commission of a crime while hiding the identity of the criminal.

    The culture of the civil service needs to be further refined.  Having senior civil servants give flimsy excuses for circumvention of regulations about recruitment suggests the need for re-orientation of a civil service that had luxuriated in the years of impunity under both military dictators and carefree civilian rulers. Public service grows in a soil fertile for rule of law, and Nigeria’s public service cannot be an exception.

  • Shell flays illegal occupation of Belema oil facilities

    The illegal occupation of Belema Flow Station and Gas Plant in Rivers State has safety implications both for the people at the facilities and nearby communities, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has warned.

    Since August 11, some persons have camped out day and night at the two facilities.

    In a statement yesterday, SPDC said it was “deeply concerned that unauthorised persons, including women and children, have been observed in close proximity to equipment that process crude oil and gas without the protection of safety clothing that is mandatory for people working in or accessing such restricted areas”.

    SPDC had carried out an emergency shutdown of production ahead of the illegal occupation, but has been unable to access the facilities since then to ensure a safe shutdown over a prolonged period.

    “The continued illegal occupation for many days exposes people at the plant to higher safety risks as anything could trigger a spill or fire with potentially serious consequences,” the company warned.

    SPDC said it was committed to Niger Delta’s growth, especially host communities of Belema and Kula.

    The SPDC JV partners have contributed $29 billion to the economic growth of Nigeria between 2012–2016. The SPDC JV is also supporting various GMoU Cluster Development Boards in the Niger Delta and mentoring NGOs to deploy N7 billion for development projects of host communities’ choice under the GMoU programme.

  • Lagos shuts illegal plank market

    The Lagos State Government yesterday ordered the immediate closure of an illegal plank market in Oko-Baba Extension in Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    A statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, said the market had become a security threat as well as a hide out for hoodlums who attack innocent citizens and commuters in the area.

    He said government was committed to the safety of lives and property of residents and would not allow any potential security threat to thrive.

    Folami warned that those who flout the order would face the wrath of the law.

    Government, he said, would not hesitate to also close down any of such illegal market in any part of the State in the overall interest of the people.

  • Navy discovers 30 new illegal refineries in Rivers

    Navy discovers 30 new illegal refineries in Rivers

    The Nigerian Navy says it has discovered 30 new illegal refineries with combined capacity to produce about four million litres of petroleum products daily.

    Capt. Victor Choji, the Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, said this during the destruction of one of the illegal refineries on Thursday.

    He said all the illegal refineries were discovered in Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers with 40 huge metallic storage tanks.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the storage tanks were filled with petroleum products suspected to be diesel and crude oil.

    According to Choji, the discovery was in continuation of the current mop-up of illegal refineries and illicit bunkering of petroleum products by crude oil thieves.

    “The discovery was in compliance with the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas strategic directive to rid Rivers  of all forms of maritime illegalities.

    “Following this directive, troops started an onslaught and discovered the very heart of the production line and infrastructure of illegal bunkering at Iyalama community in Asari Toru LGA of Rivers.

    “The 30 refineries have capacity to refine between three to four million litres of diesel daily – which is quite massive.

    “The sizes of the illegal refineries show that the LGA is indeed the epicentre of illegal bunkering activities in the state,” he said.

    Choji said the navy had deployed a “Swamp Buggy” machine with intent to reduce the ability of operators of the illicit enterprises to revive the illegal refineries.

    He said the use of  the machine  was part of   the new strategy   which involves  complete crushing of metal tanks rather than setting both storage tanks and petroleum products ablaze.

    The new strategy, he said, was adopted following reports that burning of illegal refineries was partly responsible for the current air pollution in Port Harcourt.

    Choji, who said the navy was committed to protecting the environment and health of residents, gave an  assurance that it would carry out its mandate in line with global best practices.

    He said the activities of the oil thieves  had  affected the economic fortunes  of the country  and  polluted the environment.

    “There has been an outcry on sedimentation of sooth within the atmosphere and sometimes erroneously misconstrued to be from activities of the military against illegal bunkers.

    “However, the Nigerian navy has adopted the use of swamp buggy which at the moment is the most environmentally friendly approach to our fight against oil theft,” he said.

     

  • Police attack on anti-Buhari protesters illegal, says Falana

    Police attack on anti-Buhari protesters illegal, says Falana

    Activist lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) yesterday described last week’s attack on anti-Buhari demonstrators as illegal and unconstitutional.

    In a statement titled: “On duty of police to provide security for all protesters”, issued in Lagos, Falana noted that “by providing adequate security” for the pro-Buhari demonstrators while harassing the anti-Buhari protesters”, the police violated section 42 of the constitution, which prohibited discrimination on grounds of political opinion.

    “Since the role of the Nigeria Police Force has been limited to the provision of ‘adequate security’ for demonstrators, the violent attack on the peaceful rally of the “our mumu don do” group by the police in Abuja last week is completely illegal and unconstitutional,” he contended.

    He asked the police to apologise to the members of “Our mumu don do” group, stressing that “the violent disruption of the anti-Buhari rally ought to have embarrassed President Muhammadu Buhari, who, he said, had advised President Shehu Yar’Adua, in a similar situation, to step aside as he could no longer discharge the duties and functions of his office”.

    Falana listed other protests in which Buhari participated before becoming President as including that of November 23, 2014, in which he led All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders, including APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun and former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, thousands of party supporters on Boko Haram insurgence and another protest he led alongside the late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu allegedly against the inefficiency of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The statement said: “On the 22nd day of September 2003, the police disrupted the rally convened by the defunct All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) to protest the rigging of the 2003 general election. The police authorities justified the disruption by claiming that the organisers of the rally did not obtain a police permit. Completely aggrieved by the action of the police, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the ANPP instructed our law firm to sue the Inspector-General of Police to justify the legal validity of asking for police permit before protesting against the government.

    “In a suit filed at the Federal High Court against the Inspector-General of Police, the plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of the provisions of the Public Order Act relating to police permit.

    “In a well-considered judgment the learned trial judge, Chinyere J. held that police permit was inconsistent with sections 39 and 40 of the Constitution and Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The appeal filed against the judgment at the Court of Appeal by the Police was dismissed. In affirming the decision of the lower court, Olufunmilayo Adekeye J.C.A (as she then was) observed said that ‘A rally or placard-carrying demonstration has become a form of expression of views on current issues affecting government and the governed in a sovereign state. It is a trend recognised and deeply entrenched in the system of governance in civilised countries – it will not only be primitive but also retrogressive if Nigeria continues to require a pass to hold a rally.”

    The lawyer, therefore, urged the police authorities to apologise to Mr. Charlie Oputa and other members of the “Our mumu don do.”